Man to paddle length of Lancaster Canal with inflatable duck in charity fundraiser

A local resident of Lancaster will paddle the length of the Lancaster Canal using only his hands and a large inflatable rubber duck

Liam Birkett made the decision last month to paddle from Preston to Kendal with the company Ducky McDuckface.

He will embark on this challenging journey on Monday 27th July, documenting his experience and progress through live-streaming and social media updates.

Birkett predicted it will take him five days to complete the 35-mile route of the canal, of which the final five miles will be undertaken by foot as the route no longer stretches to Kendal.

Liam has said: “”Some people think I’m mental, but if you know me it’s the sort of thing I do.

“I don’t do things by halves. Go big or go home.”

He added he has done “absolutely no training” ahead of facing this challenge in July.

Liam explained he is facing the challenge is to raise awareness and money for charity Healthier Heroes CIC, which supports veterans and their families through a variety of available services, such as mental health support, addiction recovery and tenancy sustainment.

Most Read

Ranked: All 24 Russell Group universities by how much of their income they lost last year

Fox News confirms whether man in the viral interview was actually wearing a ‘CIA mask’

Updates in case as pop star’s influencer girlfriend plots his death with her dad using hitman

His crowdfunding campaign mentions this charity is “personal” to him, with having family who have served (or are currently serving) in the armed forces, adding that “the battles don’t just switch off when the service ends.”

Liam will be sleeping beside the canal in a tent each night during the fundraiser, and in spite of the tiredness he may feel, he is doing it for “those who have given so much”.

He admitted the mission is “difficult, but worth it” and has embraced the duck theme of his challenge, recently sharing on Facebook his recent purchase of duck-pattered pyjamas, socks and underwear ahead of July, in what he light-heartedly described as a “full duck-based identity crisis”.

The end of Liam’s crowdfunding campaign ends with the uplifting note: “Follow the journey, Share the chaos, Support the cause. Let’s turn something daft into something meaningful.”

Donations towards Liam’s challenge this July can be made here via his crowdfunding page where further details of the fundraiser can also be found.

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip and memes, follow the Lancaster Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Featured image via Facebook